While green coffee beans can be kept for a year or two with negligible deterioration, the roasting process begins a chemical transformation that shortens the life of the coffee bean significantly. Roasted beans should be used within 10 to 14 days to experience the the best coffee flavor. Once ground, coffee starts to become stale rather quickly (usually within 20 minutes). I recommend grinding your beans just before you brew your coffee to retain maximum freshness.
Coffee quality also depends on the water quality, and the water temperature when brewing. It is freshness of the bean and the roast style of the bean that makes the real difference in brewing a great cup of coffee.
The Popper.
The most important thing to look for in your popper is a unit that feeds in hot air from vents in the side of the popping chamber, as opposed to a grate in the bottom - this would be a major fire hazard. With this is mind, take a look around Mustafa Center or cash converters and see what’s around. I settled for a ‘Severin’ popper, on sale for $49.50 purchase at Mustafa Center. Is this too good to be true-to finally have my own popcorn popper. Believe it or not, you can get these gadget in U.S or U.K at their second hand merchandise at a low cost U.S$10. How I wish you can get it cheaply in Singapore. Well, I appreciate with the one I had.
The most important thing to look for in your popper is a unit that feeds in hot air from vents in the side of the popping chamber, as opposed to a grate in the bottom - this would be a major fire hazard. With this is mind, take a look around Mustafa Center or cash converters and see what’s around. I settled for a ‘Severin’ popper, on sale for $49.50 purchase at Mustafa Center. Is this too good to be true-to finally have my own popcorn popper. Believe it or not, you can get these gadget in U.S or U.K at their second hand merchandise at a low cost U.S$10. How I wish you can get it cheaply in Singapore. Well, I appreciate with the one I had.
The Coffee.
You need raw green coffee beans to roast. Luckily there are a few of places in Singapore where you can get the raw beans. I started with Guatemala Antigua, a good basic coffee with a smooth rounded taste carrying lots of caramel and almond flavours into the cup.
How To Roast.
Roasting with a popcorn maker is fairly simple. You just put in the beans, turn it on and wait the appropriate amount of time. Over the first few months of roasting I discovered some limitations of the popper and modified it accordingly. The plastic lid that comes with the unit is completely unsuitable for it’s new role - it will melt! So i drilled many small holes to allow the hot air exit better without melting the cover. The chamber doesn’t really hold enough beans on it’s own for a decent roast. My recommendation is to use 45g to 70g of beans- enough for a 4 cup hario dripper.
Weights and Volumes.
By weight, green beans to roasted beans should be weighed at a ratio of about 1.2:1, have this in mind when measuring green beans into the roasting chamber. A larger volume of green beans will result in a slightly longer roasting time and a richer, sweeter taste. Use enough beans so that they only just circulate when you turn the roaster on, this adds another 30 seconds to one minute to the roast time but the flavour is more complex and somewhat richer.
How long to roast for. (Depending on your popper)
This varies entirely based on what taste you are after. There are two key phases in coffee roasting - known as the ‘cracks’. After about 2:30 mins of roasting you’ll hear the beans begin to crack, this is the beginning of the roast ‘propper’, then afterwards, at about 4-6 mins is the second crack, when small shards will come off the beans creating a crater apperance on some of the beans. When you choose to stop the roast is entirely up to you but i’d recommend just into the second crack. After 5 minutes you’ll have a good medium brown roast, and after 7:30 you’ll have a dark, shiny roast. And more than this and the beans will start to burn. I roast for between 5:30 and 6:30 and always get a great looking, smelling and tasting result.
After roasting.
As soon as the beans are finished (you’ll have to keep peeking into the popper for the first few until you nail your timing) your priority is to cool them quickly so that they stop roasting. Put them into a sieve or a colander and take them outside, then stir them around with a wooden spoon getting the air flowing around them or pass them from one colander to another. After a minute or so they will have cooled to around room temperature. They you need to rest the beans for 1-2 days to let the excess C02 escape (called de-gassing). Put them into a tin with a loose fitting lid and keep away from strong flavors.
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